I was tempted to write “This is a nationally televised game so it’s definitely a loss” and leave it at that.
Most teams don’t have terrific records in nationally televised games. At least one of the teams is usually a contender, or at least was considered one when the season started. Other primetime games are ones where there is public interest, like Kevin Durant’s return to Phoenix, which didn’t happen originally but will in one week.
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Counting tonight’s contest, the Houston Rockets play four of their final eight games on national telelvision. That’s scary enough, especially when you factor in that they’re all big games.
The New York Knicks are the best team Houston has left on the schedule by record, though obviously the Minnesota game next week is the more important one. Still, tonight is the start of a back-to-back and unless New York just smokes Houston, it’s likely that Ime Udoka will keep his starters in for their full shifts.
It bears mentioning that New York is one of two teams that have a shot to sweep Houston this season. The Knicks and Sixers both beat Houston in their own buildings and each will make the trip to Toyota Center in the season’s final weeks.
Tip-off
7pm CT
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How To Watch
Space City Home Network and NBC/Peacock
Injury ReportRockets
Steven Adams: OUT
Fred VanVleet: OUT
Knicks
Miles McBride: GTD
Landry Shamet: OUT
The Line (as of this post)
New York -1.5
Check here for updates
Looking ahead because we can
Tomorrow night at home against the Milwaukee Bucks